Words From Beyond
by Multifandom Queen 101
Summary: Lily and James Potter may be dead, but that doesn't mean that they're fully gone. The two of them are prepared to watch over Harry during his time at Hogwarts, and give their own perspective on things along the way. And of course their equally opinionated friends will want to give their input as well.
1. Chapter 1

James Potter's head hurt like hell. And the rest of him didn't feel much better. He wondered what had happened to cause that ache. The last thing he remembered was facing Voldemort, trying to save Lily.

Lily!

Sitting up, James frantically tried to place where he was. The brightness of the space surprised him. Squinting, he tried to adjust to the light. Once he managed to open his eyes fully, James examined his surroundings. He was sitting in the middle of a large and very well-lit room. There weren't any windows that he could see. It just looked like and endless white box.

James stood unsteadily. His number one priority was finding Lily. Harry was probably with Lily. He'd given him to her after all. He began to walk, but didn't see anybody else.

"Hello?" James called out. "Is anybody there?"

"James? James is that you?"

He knew that voice! "Lily!" he called. "Lily, where are you?"

"Right behind you, you prat," Lily said.

James turned and found her sitting and staring at him in amusement.

"You just walked past me without even looking," she said and she stood up.

"Oh," James said slightly embarrassed.

"Where are we?" she asked as if he knew.

"Beats me," he scoffed. "I've been looking for you."

Lily looked around, an intense expression on her face, "I think we're dead," she said finally.

James just laughed, "No way, Lils. Somebody probably came and got us or something."

"And just left Harry?" Lily said doubtfully. "The entire point of us going into hiding was protecting Harry."

James' confident smile faltered slightly. "But-but that can't be. How could we be dead? How could Voldemort even find us?"

Lily looked at James with wide anxious eyes, "Peter."

"No," James shook his head. "No way. Peter would never-."

"He might have," Lily suggested timidly. "I mean, if Voldemort had tortured him, Peter probably would've given the information."

"No," James said again. "Peter's my friend. He wouldn't betray me like that. This is a misunderstanding."

"How else would Voldemort have known where to find us?" Lily asked. "He probably didn't mean it, James. It's okay."

James flopped down dejectedly. "I just can't believe it. Wormy, betray us like that."

"It's okay," Lily told him gently. "As long as Harry is-. Where is Harry?"

"I thought he'd be with you!" James told her.

"No!" Lily said, panicked. "Do you think he's here?" She began to wander around, calling Harry's name.

"LILY!" James yelled. "Come look at this!"

"What?" Lily asked, rushing to his side. He was staring through whatever was below them, his mouth was agape.

"He's there," James said. "Lily, I can see our son."

"Harry?" Lily gasped. "Where? Is he alive?" She joined James on the ground and peered through.

"He's alive," James sounded perplexed, "But what's that on the floor?"

"James," Lily said in a hushed voice, "that's Voldemort."

"What?" James was shocked. "How? Harry's only a baby, there's no way he could've done that. Not after so many others have failed!"

"The curse!" Lily shrieked wildly. "The curse must've rebounded!"

James looked very excited, "Your sacrifice must have created a shield of some sort!"

Lily kissed James and turned back to look, "He's alive! Our boy's alive, James! And Voldemort's dead!"

James wrapped Lily in a bear hug, "We won, Lily. We won, it's all over now. We did it!"

Lily squealed excitedly, "Oh, he can go with Sirius or Remus! Or both! They'd love to take him and raise him as their own!"

The color had suddenly run out of James' face, "We didn't tell Dumbledore that we'd switched keepers. He's going to think that this was Sirius' doing."

"Don't be silly," Lily told him reassuringly. "Dumbledore would never convict a man without hearing what he had to say first."

James visibly relaxed, "You're right, as always."

"I know I am," Lily told him. "I always am."

"What about that time you said you'd never go out with me?" James reminded her.

"Get over yourself," Lily said dismissively. "Oh, look! Here comes Sirius now!"

James and Lily watched Sirius come into the bedroom. "Hello, Harry," Sirius said softly. "Quite a night it's been, eh?"

Harry hiccupped, tears still streaking his face. All the noise had frightened him.

"Come on, you," Sirius hoisted Harry out of his crib. "Let's not stay here any longer." His face very pale and his eyes determined, Sirius carried Harry out of the room.

The scene changed, they watched as Sirius exited the house. "Hagrid," James said unnecessarily and pointed.

"I'm his godfather," Sirius was saying. "I'll take him."

"Sorry, Sirius," Hagrid said kindly. "Dumbledore's orders." He patted Sirius on the back, "Don't worry, you'll see each other soon enough I reckon."

Sirius let out a horrible sob. James reached out as if he could comfort his friend, but he could not reach.

Hagrid gave Sirius a hug, "Don't worry, Black. Everything's better now."

Sirius straightened up. "Here," he handed Hagrid his motorbike. "I don't think I'm going to need this."

"I gave him that motorbike," James said. "He loved it more than anything."

Even Lily looked perplexed, "But then what-?"

The scene changed as Sirius disapperated. He was standing in the middle of a crowded street. With a grim look on this face, Sirius began to push through the crowds. Grabbing somebody by the shoulders he spun them around.

"Peter," James said. Once again providing an unnecessary introduction.

"Why'd you do it, Peter?" Sirius said quietly. "Why'd you do it?"

"Prove that I did," Peter said. "Prove that it wasn't you when nobody even knows that Lily and James switched to me. Prove it!"

"You did it on purpose," Sirius looked angry. "They were your friends, and you did it on purpose!"

"The Dark Lord has greatly rewarded me," Peter said, "And I expect he'll reward me even more now that the job is done!"

"YOU FILTHY PIECE OF SCUM!" James shouted. "YOU DISGUSTING DIRTBAG! WE TRUSTED YOU!"

Lily was staring, horrified and opened mouth at Peter.

"You're wrong," Sirius told him. "Harry is alive, and Voldemort it dead. You're not getting a reward anytime soon."

Peter went very pale. Without Sirius noticing, he pulled his wand out of his pocket and hid it behind his back. "You're not going to kill me," he said with certainty.

"If I did, all of the evidence would be gone," Sirius said coolly. "I'm just going to take you hostage. The dementors can do what they want to you after that."

"If they can catch me," Peter sneered, but there was a nervous edge to his voice.

Sirius reached for his own wand, but Peter had already cast his spell. The street was blown apart, muggles everywhere. A small rat could be seen slipping into the sewer. Sirius Black, unhurt and stunned, stood in the middle of the street.

Cracking sounds could be heard as Aurors and Ministry officials apperated. Lily tried to think of a possible way that Sirius could get out of it, but she didn't see any. She hoped his hearing would go well.

"Well, well, well," a familiar figure pushed its way to the front of the crowed. Barty Crouch stood before Sirius, looking triumphant. "It seems that Voldemort's right hand man had been CAUGHT IN THE ACT!"

"No!" James yelled frantically. "You've got the wrong man!"

"Take him to Azkaban," Crouch gave a nasty smile, "without a hearing."

"That's illegal!" Lily exploded. "They have to give him a trial! It's the bloody law!"

That's when Sirius did the most unexpected thing. He began to laugh. And he didn't stop. Not even when the Aurors cornered him, not even when they grabbed him, not even when they disapperated.

"NO!" James shrieked. "You have the wrong man! He's innocent! Bring him back! He didn't do anything!"

Lily was crying silently as she watched the Ministry official try to set things right. "How could they?" she whispered. "Without a hearing. How could they!"

"Sirius," James sobbed. "Sirius, no."

The scene changed again. Suddenly, James and Lily found themselves looking at Privet Drive. Dumbledore was holding Harry, Minerva McGonagall by his side.

"McGonagall," James whispered. Lily really wished that he'd stop identifying every person he saw.

"Lily and James. I don't believe it. I won't believe it! Oh, Albus," McGonagall was saying. She wiped a tear from her eyes.

"We didn't even get to say goodbye to her," Lily said sadly. "We only saw her right before we went into hiding. Never even invited her over for tea."

"We should have," James said, fiercely regretful. "We should have."

"I think," Lily said, "I think that they're on Petunia's street."

"Why would they be there?" James asked. "They don't care much about us or Harry."

"Maybe… maybe he's taking Harry to Petunia," Lily suggested.

"Why would he do that?" James asked. "There are loads of people Harry could go with!"

"Who?" Lily asked dismally. "Who could he go with? Everybody's either dead or gone."

James searched for somebody who Harry could stay with, but he couldn't come up with any names. "Vermin's going to make his life miserable," James said, using his nickname for Petunia's husband. "And they've got a little stinker of their own."

"Who they'll probably prioritize," Lily said. "But I don't think that they'll be horrible to him."

"You don't think so?" James asked.

"I trust Petunia," Lily said simply. "After, all she wouldn't make him sleep in a cupboard or anything ridiculous."

"Lily," James said, "what are we going to do? Everyone we know is dead, including us. Sirius is gone, and Peter's a traitor. And all we can do is sit and watch."

"Don't worry too much," Lily assured him. "I'm sure Dumbledore will talk to Sirius and get him out of this mess. And then Harry can live with his godfather, and all will be well."

"Okay," James said, running his hand through his hair. "Okay, yeah, you're right. This isn't so bad, not really. No, not at all."


	2. Chapter 2

"Are you through?" Lily asked her husband, who had been in hysterics for the past three minutes.

Gulping, he shook his head. Taking a shaky breath, tried to straighten up, but ended up laughing even harder.

"James, it wasn't that funny you know," Lily told him impatiently.

"Yeah it was," he gasped. "Even you laughed."

It was true, Lily had laughed at first, but she'd stopped after about a minute.

"I'm not saying that it wasn't hilarious," Lily told him, "but you really need to get a grip."

"Oh, shush," James said dismissively. "This is the most fun I've had in ages."

Lily ruefully shook her head, "You're quite a handful, you know that right?"

James responded by laughing even harder. "He just made the glass disappear! Just like that! Did you see their faces when the snake went by?"

Lily laughed a little at the memory of Dudley and Piers faces as the giant boa constrictor had slithered past them. And she had to admit, the vanishing glass was a brilliant trick on Harry's part.

James, noticing her smile, grinned broadly, "See? You do think it's funny!"

"I never said I didn't," Lily told him, trying to keep her composure but losing it entirely.

Within seconds, the two of them had collapsed, tears streaming down their faces.

"I can't breathe," gasped Lily through her laughter.

James couldn't even respond.

"The-the-the-," Lily said, not managing to get the full sentence out.

"He does have his father talent for trouble," James said once he managed to catch his breath.

"What's he up to now?" Lily asked as she looked at the scene below.

James looked down, "I don't believe it!" he said angrily. "They've locked him in his cupboard!"

Lily looked down, "It could be worse," she said darkly. "He could be eating the same amount as Dudley."

"He'd inflate so much he'd fly away," James snorted.

"I hope they let him out soon," Lily said anxiously.

"Yeah, it's not his fault that his cousin's a prat!" James said defensively.

Lily just sighed.

* * *

"No offence, Lils," James said as summer rolled around and Harry was let out of his closet, "but your sister's parenting skills leave a lot to be desired."

Lily didn't even bother defending Petunia. She just stared angrily, "I'm beginning to think that Dumbledore was suffering from severe head trauma when he dumped Harry on their doorstep."

"Dumbledore didn't _dump_ Harry," James said. "He just unceremoniously abandoned him."

"I hate being dead," Lily sighed. "It's boring."

"I dunno," James said. "We don't have to stand in grocery checkout lines anymore. Or worry about how we look."

"We don't look that bad," Lily protested.

"Lily, we're dead," James rolled his eyes. "We look exactly the same as we always have."

"Are you sure?" Lily asked. "Because I think you have a grey hair."

"What?" James gasped. He began batting at his head. "Where? Get it out! Get it out!"

"Oh, calm down," Lily laughed. "I was only teasing."

"You are a cruel person," James informed her.

"You love me anyways," she reminded him lightly.

"Indeed I do," he agreed.

* * *

"Happy birthday, dear Harry," James and Lily sang together. "Happy birthday to you!"

"You really are an awful singer," James told Lily.

Lily shrugged, "True enough."

"Remember how Harry used to always cry when you sang?" James laughed.

"Shut up," she mumbled.

"I can't believe Vermin and Putrid didn't get Harry a present. Or even wish him 'happy birthday'!" James said angrily.

"Well what did you expect?" Lily asked. "All they've done so far is make sure he doesn't get to Hogwarts."

"A fine present that is!" James snapped. "'Happy birthday, Harry! To celebrate we'll hide the truth from you, force you into hiding in a remote cabin, and be generally horrible people! Yay!'"

"Don't be sarcastic," Lily said.

"Look at him, Lily!" James said angrily. "He's lying on the cold, hard ground singing 'Happy Birthday' to himself. And you're worried about me being sarcastic."

Lily sighed, "You're right."

James was silent for a moment. Finally, he spoke, "Say that again?"

"You're right?" Lily said uncertainly.

James' face split into a wide grin, "I love it when you say that."

Lily laughed. "Well-," she was cut off as the door to the cabin began to shake.

"What's going on down there?" James asked.

"I think somebody's trying to break in!" Lily gasped.

"Who in their right mind would want to break into that tin shack?" James asked astonished. He got his answer as the door was flung open.

"Hagrid!" Lily exclaimed. "He must be here to get Harry!"

Petunia and Vernon stepped out of their room, Vernon carrying a firearm. They both looked terrified. "This should be interesting," James said excitedly.

The pair watched with interest and Hagrid properly intimidated the Dursleys. James swelled with pride when Hagrid compared Harry to him.

"Hear that? Hagrid thinks Harry looks like me!" James said proudly.

"Well he does," Lily said. "Except for the eyes. He's got my eyes." She smiled happily.

"I can do math and stuff," Harry was saying.

"Math and stuff, bless his little hard," Lily laughed.

"Won't do him much good, will it?" James agreed.

"If he decides to take Arithmancy it might," Lily reminded him.

"My son take Arithmancy?" James was scandalized. "Never!"

"I took Arithmancy," Lily reminded him.

"You stopped after fifth year," James reminded her.

"Yeah, because it was boring," Lily rolled her eyes.

"My point has been proven," James said smugly.

Lily wasn't sure what point he had proven. Or if he'd proven anything at all. But she decided to let him have his happiness.

"Look!" Lily said with joy. "Hagrid's given Dudley a pig's tail!"

"Really?" James said with great interest. "Oh my goodness, he has!"

Lily burst out laughing, "Look at him hopping around!"

Dudley was frantically swatting at his tail, trying to pull it out. James roared with laughter as his parents dragged him out of the room, Petunia looking absolutely disgusted.

"I knew there was a reason I like Hagrid so much," he grinned.

"Well at least now Harry can finally get away from Vermin and Putrid," Lily said happily. "He'll be at Hogwarts for most of the year."

James was staring at Lily, "You just called Petunia 'Putrid'."

Lily turned red, "No I didn't."

"Yes you did!" James said with delight. "You used my nickname for her!"

"I did not!" Lily protested. "I would never use such a childish nickname!"

"You obviously just did," James said gleefully. Standing up, he clicked his heels together with joy.

"Alright, fine," Lily huffed. "I called her Putrid on accident! Happy?"

"Ecstatic," James said. "Although we both know it wasn't an accident."

And he dashed off before Lily could grab him.

* * *

 **AN: I want to thank you guys for all of the support I have received. I'm so grateful to all of you who took the time to read my story.I have a quick question for you all. Would you like me to include flashbacks in the story? So you'll get their reactions, but also a little bit of their past. Kind of like two fics in one! Let me know if that's something you guys are interested in and I'll include it. Thanks for reading!**


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